Yet another Eastwood gem

I feel like I should let everyone reading this know of my inherent bias
in favor of this film. I have seen twenty eight films from Clint
Eastwood as director and have liked the vast majority of them, and
loved a good number of them (my average rating for the 28 films is
7.9). Still, something felt off about "Gran Torino" based on the
trailer. I read it as Eastwood trying to be 'badass' again, trying to
be Dirty Harry again. "Gran Torino" is not that. Walt Kowalski may have
similarities with Dirty Harry, and could possibly be read as a
significantly older version of Harry (it's a stretch), but he is a
distinctive, memorable character on his own, and I'd go as far as
saying that it's one of Eastwood's finest performances, and one which
gives him a chance to show off his dramatic and comedic chops.

I'm not going to argue that "Gran Torino" has perfect acting from the
younger supporting cast. It doesn't. In fact, some of them are
downright bad at times, but the film works in spite of its flaws. This
screenplay was probably written with Eastwood in mind (I am not sure of
the behind-the-scenes details on this) and it shows. He captures
Kowalski perfectly. The film is surprisingly humorous, something that
isn't being captured well enough in advertising. It's absolutely
hilarious at times (watch as Kowalski attempts to make a man out of
Thao by teaching him how to talk like men do), and Eastwood handles the
shifts in tone brilliantly. When the film takes a dark turn towards the
end I sat on the edge of my seat in suspense, fully aware of where it
was heading but still mesmerized by Eastwood's tour-de-force direction.
This is an artist at his prime as an actor and as a director.

Whether or not "Gran Torino" will hold up as one of Eastwood's great
films remains to be seen, and the film feels like it would be good for
multiple viewings. The characterization is strong and not simplistic at
all, you could argue that Kowalski is just another grouchy war vet, but
Eastwood's beautiful, nuanced performance as well as some neat little
touches in the screenplay (particularly towards the end) which I won't
discuss in detail to avoid spoiling anything (and it's really fun to
watch this movie unfold, Eastwood keeps the film moving at a
wonderfully involving pace) would prove you wrong. The film works on
yet another level as a deconstruction of Eastwood's image. I don't mean
that as a negative, it just adds to the film's strength as a character
study.

It's a more intimate film than Eastwood's other film this year,
"Changeling", and also on a smaller scale than many of his other films,
but it's just as ambitious in many ways. This is not a politically
correct film about a grouchy old racist suddenly turning into the most
tolerant person around, it is a film about a man who, near the end of
his life, is forced to confront his demons, and on the sunnier side
about a man who finds true friendship where he least expected it. By
the end of "Gran Torino" I had forgiven any flaws it might have, and
was completely satisfied with the film, which far exceeded my
expectations. I have a feeling that "Gran Torino", which has already
been met with strongly positive reviews (but is still being described
as a 'minor' Eastwood film by some), will eventually become an
especially important part of Eastwood's filmography.

Was the above review useful to you?

629 out of 845 people found the following review useful:

An absolute cinematic gem!

As Clint Eastwood reaches the end of his life, he presents us with yet
another performance which is nothing short of legendary. Wishing to
preserve the element of surprise, I will not reveal anything by trying
to analyse this great work of art.

I will say this. There are similar qualities to his previous work, but
I would say that both his directing and acting have reached a level of
maturity comparable to that of an excellent wine. The story was
compelling and, mixed with the drama was a refined touch of humour; the
perfect combination for a pleasant evening.

I would like to finish by thanking Mr. Eastwood for sharing this
touching moment with his audience at a time when most of the cinematic
"art" produced in Hollywood consists of stunts and bad jokes.

Was the above review useful to you?

587 out of 764 people found the following review useful:

Amazing Film...Eastwood deserves an Oscar!!!

I saw the film and it was unbelievable. Clint Eastwood will have you
laughing so hard you almost pee yourself while at the same time
breaking your heart and making you want to cry. The movie takes you on
a roller-coaster ride and the entire theater stood up in applause
afterward. I highly recommend this film and if Eastwood doesn't get
nominated for an Oscar something is truly wrong!!! The screening I saw
was held at the Writer's Guild, so the room was filled with SAG, WGA,
DGA, and other industry related people who I would wage know their
movies. At points the entire room was laughing so loud I couldn't hear,
and then minutes later all you could hear were the sniffles from people
crying. The film has drama, comedy, and action and Clint Eastwood
really creates a character that you care about and cheer for...again!

Was the above review useful to you?

459 out of 625 people found the following review useful:

Another top-notch, Clint Eastwood film that entertains and teaches.

Manohla Dargis writes in the New York Times: "Dirty Harry is back, in a
way, in "Gran Torino," not as a character but as a ghostly presence. He
hovers in the film, in its themes and high-caliber imagery, and of
course most obviously in Mr. Eastwood's face. It is a monumental face
now, so puckered and pleated that it no longer looks merely weathered,
as it has for decades, but seems closer to petrified wood. Words like
flinty and steely come to mind, adjectives that Mr. Eastwood ...
expressively embodies with his usual lack of fuss and a number of
growls." More praise for Eastwood comes from Joe Morgenstern in the
Wall Street Journal, who comments: "No one makes movies like Gran
Torino any more, and more's the pity. This one, with Clint Eastwood as
director and star, is concerned with honor and atonement, with rough
justice and the family of man. It raises irascibility to the level of
folk art, takes unapologetic time-outs for unfashionable moral debates,
revives acting conventions that haven't been in fashion for half a
century and keeps you watching every frame as Mr. Eastwood snarls,
glowers, mutters, growls and grins his way through the performance of a
lifetime." Elizabeth Weitzman in the New York Daily News remarks that
"it's clearly a career-capping work." Kenneth Turan in The Los Angeles
Times writes that the movie "is impossible to imagine without the actor
in the title role. The notion of a 78-year-old action hero may sound
like a contradiction in terms, but Eastwood brings it off, even if his
toughness is as much verbal as physical. Even at 78, Eastwood can make
'Get off my lawn' sound as menacing as 'Make my day,' and when he says
'I blow a hole in your face and sleep like a baby,' he sounds as if he
means it."

There are at least four reason why I like this film: 1. Clint Eastwood
shows that the character he is playing is willing to serve in a war--
and die if necessary--to preserve freedom (and he has a medal to prove
it), 2. he has grown old and the whole world has changed (and everyone
around him seems to indicate--in one way or another--that he is no
appreciated or needed), 3. even with a transformation, he demonstrates
that people tend to be reactive--rather than responsive--and are slow
to change (this is particularly true with bias, discrimination, and
prejudice), and 4. that tolerance can lead to understanding (he tries
to give tough love, but he becomes softer in his response--instead of
his reaction--after giving and receiving genuine love). It seems that
everyone around him wants his Gran Torino and everything else he owns,
before he even has died, instead of being interested in him. He lives
in a community that is transformation, and he knows absolutely nothing
about culture, diversity, ethnicity, race, or sexual orientation. He
does know about aging, however (if nowhere else, he learns about it
from people's adverse and negative reactions, everywhere around him).
He isn't exactly treated with dignity and respect, so why should he
treat anyone else with dignity and respect? And, trust must be earned.

If this is Clint Eastwood's last film, I can only say that that his
performance, in this stunning film, is what legends are made of. There
are some wonderful performances in "Milk" (Sean Penn), "Australia"
(Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman), "Changeling" (Angelina Jolie and
director Clint Eastwood), and "The Dark Knight" (a riveting performance
by "Brokeback Mountain's" Heath Ledger). In viewing all of these films,
there are performances that are not only superb, but they evoke every
one of the emotions and carry the intellect and intelligence of human
cognitions to the highest pinnacle of excellence. As a gay person, I
must say that I am moved by Sean Penn's portrayal of Harvey Milk, I am
moved by the romantic chemistry between Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman,
and I would be remiss if I did not mention Angelina Jolie's flawless
and moving performance. But, I give the top honor to Clint Eastwood for
giving us films that educate and entertain. And, "Gran Torino" (2008)
is no exception. One cannot walk away from a Clint Eastwood film,
without saying that they haven't learned something, or without saying
(just like the legendary Ethel Merman used to sing) 'there's no
business (quite) like show business'. I rank "Gran Torino" (2008) a 10
out of 10. Clint Eastwood's performance is more than another version of
'Dirty Harry'. In fact, his portrayal is reminiscent of the Paul Newman
character in "Nobody's Perfect".

Was the above review useful to you?

319 out of 406 people found the following review useful:

Clint Eastwood shows you why he still should be in FRONT of the camera

With his performance Eastwood shows you why people like himself, Jack
Nicholson, or Paul Newman only come around once in a lifetime. Though
Eastwood would rather focus on directing, he can still carry a movie
with his on screen presence, and he's pure dynamite in "Gran Torino".
Perhaps the poor box office results of "hollywoody" movies like
Absolute Power, True Crime, Space Cowboys, and Blood Work, caused
Eastwood to shy away from acting, but given cutting edge material to
work with as "Million Dollar Baby" and "Gran Torino", he's as good as
ever. His character as the racist and salty war vet makes you think of
that old guy we've all had on our blocks with the garbage door open,
the million tools hanging everywhere, and always fixing or building
something. I found myself not wanting the movie to end because the
scenes between himself and the various Hmong characters where
priceless. There may be complaints over the racist remarks and scenes,
but Eastwood pulls it off in a way a real person like that would talk
or act to a point where it ends up being lighthearted. I'm not going to
give the plot away, but if you like your Clint Eastwood as a hard-nosed
tough guy with foul language alla Dirty Harry or Heartbreak Ridge,
you'll love this movie!!

Was the above review useful to you?

321 out of 452 people found the following review useful:

One of the best movies I've seen in years

This is a poignant, beautiful movie, maybe the best film Eastwood has
ever done. The characters are fully drawn, believable, and resonate
true human emotion. I at first was put off by the idea of seeing a
movie about an old racist, but when I saw the numbers of people
attending the screenings, I thought there must be something there, so I
went to the Arclight in Hollywood, where the theater was packed. Crusty
old Kowalski, a Korean war veteran, now living in run down Detroit,
hates the Vietnamese immigrants that have moved next door to him. As
time goes on, he gets to know them, and the bond that forms is
wonderful, and spiritual. There was not a dry eye in the house when the
movie ended. I won't give the ending away, but suffice it to say this
is a truly wonderful story, one that you will love and tell your
friends to see. If you're looking for one of those great movie
experiences that so rarely comes along, you'll not find a better film
to see than this.

Was the above review useful to you?

251 out of 330 people found the following review useful:

Eastwood excels at storytelling

Mr. Eastwood has a knack for storytelling. Instead of being preachy or
having an all to obvious agenda, he lets his viewers make up their own
minds. His characters don't have a message, they have a life and make
no excuses for who they are. In so many subtle and intelligent ways we
are allowed to make our own choices. Like with Kowalski in the movie,
you are not confronted with a role model hammering home all those
"life's important messages", but rather with a movie saying "Look! This
is the way it worked out for me. And I think I know a few tricks that
might help you, but in the end it's your own life. However, you have to
trust me when I say that there are a some things you don't want to see
or experience!". Some people will leave this movie entirely untouched,
others will certainly be crying their guts out. Not because some people
"get it" and others "don't", but because it is a brilliant piece of
entertainment reaching out to every viewer in its own specific way.

Eastwood's acting is top notch again, although the years have not been
very kind to his voice. The rest of the cast are fine, but one can
certainly spot their more amateurish backgrounds here and there which
is the main reason why I could not give this one a 10/10.

Apart from that there is little to criticize. It's not an action movie,
not a drama movie and certainly not a comedy (even though you get a few
laughs out of this one). It's simply a good story about life.....and
death.

Was the above review useful to you?

251 out of 345 people found the following review useful:

Clint is the best director in Hollywood and still one of the great actors

seeing the trailer for this film kinda made me expect id be watching
Dirty Harry in the suburbs.

What I saw was a bittersweet superbly written, well acted story of
humanity and friendship,this film is something that we can all relate
to in some way, and isn't Hollywooded up in anyway, the film tells it
story without any un needed hidden undertones that so many mainstream
directors do to films.

Eastwood is excellent as the hard nosed war vet, and his direction is
perfect as always, and supporting cast did there job just fine too

Clint Eastwood was perfect for the role and as director, as he has the
knack of taking a story and making a film for the audience to get
sucked into the story, and not for critics to pick apart....great film
making,

Was the above review useful to you?

175 out of 258 people found the following review useful:

Great whether in front or behind the camera.

Hot on the heels of 'Changeling' Eastwood is back and as well as
directing he is back in front of the camera. He plays Walt Kowalski a
recently widowed ex-Vietnam veteran who harbours slight racism and
bitterness which isn't helped by the changing world he now lives in
alone. He has relatives but they only seem to call when they want
something and his grandkids have already started deciding what they
will have of his when he dies. He has a few mates he drinks with in the
pub but other than that his neighbourhood is being overrun by
immigrants and gang warfare. Walt's next door neighbours are a Hmong
family with no father figure and after the son tries to steal his prize
car, the 'Grand Torino' of the title, Walt decides to try and reform
the boy and hopefully as time passes learn about their culture and
change his mind before he dies. As with all Eastwood films where you
begin isn't where you will end up and the story takes many turns that
will test all of your emotions, I laughed, I cried and I got angry it's
a real roller-coaster. But its Clint's aged 'Dirty Harry' in Walt that
steals the show and anytime he is on screen he is mesmerising which
means that the supporting cast members are barely noticeable. At times
it plays like Lynch's 'Straight Story' with sprinkles of 'Taxi Driver'
but the real beauty is in the old fashioned storytelling, something
that Clint is a dab hand at, mix that with the modern day context and
you have a gripping and enthralling film. It's no wonder that so many
'best of year' lists contain this film, they should, it is that good
and it proves that even at 78 Eastwood is a force to be reckoned with
when it comes to movies in front or behind the camera or in the case of
'Grand Torino' both.

Was the above review useful to you?

181 out of 290 people found the following review useful:

A great feel-good movie with both comedy and tragedy at the same time

This movie made me laugh and cry at the same time. It deals with both
grimy old bastards as well as with more serious matters as racism. Good
acting from Clind as well as all his supporting actors and once again
Clint has shown that he is capable of making movies that involves both
emotions and stereotypes! The "olidish" bitterness of Clint's character
and the mix between comedy and drama is just genius. The only criticism
of the movie would be that the gang-bangers were pretty and does not
correspond very well to all of the reports of gang violence all around
the world. But overall I thought this was a great movie with lots of
potential for being one of those films that you will actually remember
when you visit the video rental store in five years from now.